Don't Talk

Quick post - During the weekend while we were in Alex's room, he picked up a book and said he was going to read it. The book was "Little Blue Truck" (given to us by Desmina) which I have never completely read to him, but he took it upon himself to tell read the story and flip the pages. I just sat across from him, doing whatever I was doing and just listened. Clearly he made up his own story based on the pictures he saw, but turned the pages and said "The End" as if he was 100% correct! It's fun to watch this pretending and imagination stage.

Then the other night he wanted to read another book. So I sat down and listened. This is a first words book that we used to ride around in the car and he would identify the pictures or ask about what he didn't know. The funny thing about this video isn't his reading/identifying.

Just listen.

Oh Alex how you make us laugh/shake our heads/smile/remain thankful and so much more.

Fearlessness...Part 2

Ok. You've seen the ocean adventure, now here's what we were doing at the pool. The first day I took Alex in the pool with no floatation device. After a few minutes of doing that, I knew that wasn't going to get it (he was going to wear me out) so I knew he needed something to wear. When I was purchasing the inner tube at the store, you would have thought it was something terrible. He didn't want it. Was crying (faking) and just acting like it was overall scary. WHATEVER! Ignored! You will see below it was purchased, worn and enjoyed.

So I started out by still holding on to him while in the inner tube. I informed him that he should kick his feet and move his arms in order to get around. I did more dragging him around though.

He liked going back to the stairs because at the stairs is where he wanted to take the inner tube off and then just get in the water. No Dude! He really didn't understand that although he could stand on that bottom step, there was no more after that. 

Then I realized he was motioning his arms in a swimming position. So I told myself, "I think you can let go."

After that...he was on his own. Back and forth from Mom (in the water) to Pappy (on the steps). 

At this point, I was quite impressed. What a difference a day (couple hours) makes.

 

WORK IT ALEX!

Grammy got the action! Watch him make it to the wall.

 Here's a moment when he had to have the inner tube off and so I let him. He tells me he wants to go in the deep water. Uhhh, no you don't. Now he wanted to get lose so much that if we would have had his ear plugs in his ears, I probably would have let him feel/experience what walking off that bottom step felt like (knowing I was right there). 

 

Pool #2 - He's so good he wants to race.

 

 After 2 pools and the ocean, it was time to go inside.

While in the bathtub, I knew sleepiness was coming. He wasn't really having conversation with me and shortly after Grammy lotioned him up and put his clothes on, this happened for 3 hours. After getting his clothes on, he walked out of the bedroom into the living room, grabbed a pillow from the couch and proceeded to lay on the floor. That's when good ol' dad said "Come Here" and lights out he went! Everyone needs some good where you out fun!

Adventures of Alex this last week

Conversation riding home from school one day

Alex: The crows ate all the seeds

Me: Oh really, did you put more seeds out

Alex: Yes, the crows ate all the seeds so we put more out

Me: Good. Where do crows live?

Alex: On the farm

Me: Oh ok.

Alex: You have to put a scarecrow out to scare them away.

Alex: I'm a scarecrow expert! 

Role Play Around the House
He's like to put beads around his neck and say he is the doctor. He will ask you what's the matter and then simply touch or rub it and then you pretend it's fixed. Then he gives you the beads and you're the doctor.

I was in K2's room, looking around as we are beginning to make adjustments in there, and Alex  spotted some luggage and started to play with it. He rolled the suitcase and said "I'm gonna do my personal work." Then he came back and told me the suitcase had everything he needed. He said (although there was not) there was a pink dress in there for me and daddy will like that. Then he found a business card in the luggage and said "I got the news!" He told me what the news said...nothing. Then said it's a "ba-tation" as in invitation. Too Funny. 

Alex and K2
Alex is very aware that "there's a baby in there". He touches/rubs her everyday and tells people that "mommy is going to have a sister." While we have tried to explain along with his teachers at school, that YOU are having a sister...that's just what he likes to say.

He knows to be very gentle when around other babies and wants to help in anyway possible. He ask about once a week "is the baby coming out?", he says "oh I love her" and will even randomly kiss my stomach. Can't quite catch a picture of that yet. I tried to let him feel her moving, but I don't know if he REALLY felt it. After I know she moved (with his hands on my stomach), I'll say "did you feel that?", his eyes get big and he'll say "yeahhhhhh". And I'm thinking "yeah right". He says she's crawling around.

So we'll continue to see what it will all be like!

K2
Still working on a name, but I FINALLY made my first purchase for her.

Yep, a pair of 2T pink pants that cost $1.97 at Old Navy. Hahahah. I mean who can resist at tag that says $1.97. Who cares if she can't wear them in her first year of life. One to grow on!

A Bit of Fearlessness...Part 1

I do believe we have another FIRST here!

If I remember correctly, this was Alex's first time at the beach/in the ocean and boyyyyy did he demonstrate some fearlessness. I thought he might be a little afraid of the ocean so I was prepared with buckets for building sandcastles, but I was just as wrong as the day is long. It was fun to join my parents at the beach last week for a little sun and sand!

The guys are leading the way to the beach!

Ok lets check this thing out...especially to see if the water is too cold.

It's all good. Shirt off. Bucket in hand.
Heyyy K2!

It was not an easy task convincing him to come up and chill on the sand.

Once he got on the sand, one bucket always had to have water in it. This meant constant trips back to the ocean. He thinks he's sneaky. I was on Team "have a seat", so Dad or Grammy walked back and forth with Alex for water.

 

As they played in the ocean, I built little sandcastles. ONLY for this dude to come IMMEDIATELY step on them and laugh. I've seen him build more sandcastles at school than he did on the beach.

Back in the ocean with dad. He wanted to jump the waves. I had to think about how he knew to jump the waves, but then I remembered the wave pool at Great Wolf Lodge. I would hold him and jump as the waves approached. Perhaps it was all coming back to him. Charles said as they were playing out there, Alex would want Charles to let go of his hands. Really guy! Not gonna happen.

Where's the daytime nap? That's the question. On the way to the beach (in the morning), he fell asleep about 20 minutes before we arrived. After playing in the ocean, the swimming pool (that will be part 2), having a nice bath, good meal and watching a serious thunderstorm, this guy still wasn't asleep. As the "thunder clouds" as Alex calls them came, so did heavy rain, loud thunder and sharp lightning. Again he was pretty fearless. He would make a strange face for about a second and then run around some more or play with his trains. We didn't close any curtains or do anything special, but try to encourage him to sit down somewhere. About 20 minutes before his normal bedtime (10pm), he finally went to dream land.

Part 2 will be posted as soon as I can get a hold of Grammy's phone. Since I was the designated one to play with him in the pool, Grammy got to use her new phone and take all the pictures and videos. So the beach adventure will continue...